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Krokodil: Flesh Eating Homemade Russian Heroin!

A new homemade compound opiod is killing mass numbers of Russian heroin addicts.

Russia has more heroin users than any other country in the world. One-third of worldwide heroin deaths are Russian. Due to a cut off Afghan supply the drug’s cost has risen to up to 60 euros a dose. Junkies are being forced to find cheaper means of getting their fix.
Russians have begun to manufacture a synthetic heroin known as “Krokodil” or crocodile.

Krokodil is desomorphine, a synthetic opiate many times more powerful than heroin. Addicts generally make their own krokodil instead of buying it from a dealer. The ingredients are household chemicals and OTC codeine pills. Russians can buy the ingredients for about 2 euros. The cooking of the chemicals takes about as long as the high lasts (2 hours) and the physical withdrawl symptoms are worse than heroin. Those factors create a night and day cycle for all who are addicted.
This drug produces horrific effects in its poor addicted users. It quickly turns the skin scaly- hence its reptilian name. Addicts can be identified by their iodine smell. Rotting sores develop all over the body and skin can literally start to fall off the bones.
The life expectancy of anyone who starts to use the drug is less than one year.
The use of the drug is steadily on the rise despite the death sentence it carries. Small towns where heroin is not easily imported are being overrun with Krokodil. Addicts who cannot afford heroin anymore shot the desomorphine until they die.
Despite rising addiction and death rates the Russian government has not done anything to stop the sale of OTC codeine pills.